European Energy Security, 2008-2020: A Transatlantic Partnership?

Abstract

Since the Russia-Ukraine gas crisis in 2006, European Member States have paid closer attention to energy security issues. The event has shed the light on the major external threat of the dependency of the European Union (EU) on one major gas supplier. However, the division between Member States on the priorities and policies to include into strategic documents is also present even when it comes to commonly agreed threats such as the issue of climate change. Energy lies at the intersection of national security and economic development of a state. Due to different historical backgrounds, the Union inherited a very uneven energy landscape much like energy infrastructure. The difference is especially obvious between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ Union. The disunity on the issue of energy security and the fact that most of its states are also members of NATO, the organization led by the United States, has created a close alignment between the two sides of the Atlantic on economic and security energy issues. The role of NATO in strengthening energy security was defined at the Bucharest Summit in 2008 and since then is being strengthened. In the meanwhile the EU has been trying to develop its own instruments and institutions to protect the Union from risks of further energy disruptions and paving the way for a more sustainable and clean energy future, often referring to its Western partner for the support in this process of building a more secure and competitive Europe. Thus since about 15 years the energy security issue has stabilized itself on the Transatlantic agenda in the form of governments’ dialogue and joint agreements.